Scouting Yanks Prospect #45: Addison Maruszak

Patrick Teale

11/24/2008

The Yankees drafted shortstop Addison Maruszak out of the University of South Florida in the 17th round of the 2008 MLB Draft. Coached by former Yankee first baseman Tino Martinez in college helped prepare him for the professional game and he had a terrific debut season in the New York Penn League this year.

"I had good success in Staten Island, especially for my first time as a professional and with wood bats," said Maruszak, who hit .317 with six home runs in his debut season.

"I adjusted pretty well going from metal to wood and I actually like it much better with the wood bat, it's more of a true bat I think. The only thing I'm looking for, the thing I want to focus on is seeing the ball."

Seeing the ball hasn't been a problem for him even before he was drafted. He had sixteen more walks than strikeouts in his college career and his combination of plate discipline and knowledge of the strike zone were just some of the reasons Yankees scouting director Damon Oppenheimer labeled him a potential sleeper even before the season began.

"The kid [Addison] Maruszak has got some plate discipline, he's got a big-time strong arm, he swings the bat, and the way this guy throws, you might be talking about this guy being something like [Kyle] Anson, somebody like that," Oppenheimer said on draft day. "I think there's something there to maybe keep people's eyes on him."

Other reasons why many felt the later round draft pick could surprise some folks were his attention to detail and his early preparation for the professional ranks playing under the guide of former Yankee Tino Martinez in college.

"Tino is just a great all-around coach," said Maruszak. "He obviously knows the right swings and stuff but he doesn't force upon you his methods.

"He knows his swing worked for him and his swing might not work for other people, but he still has that eye and there are certain basic mechanics that everybody has to do. He really pressures those but he lets you stay yourself in the other ways that make you successful."

One of the ways Martinez prepared his players for the professional game was, despite having to play with aluminum bats during the collegiate games, he had his players get accustomed to wood bats behind the scenes.

"In college when I hit in batting practice I wasn't allowed to use metal bats, I was only allowed to use wood bats," Maruszak revealed. "My coaches always said my wood bat-swing was better.

"I didn't understand it [then]. When I had wood in my hands they said my swing was different. I guess they're right. It's not like a metal bat where it's real light and it goes through the zone quick, it's weighted. I found the right bat for me and it worked out well."

He hit six home runs in his final year of college earlier this year with the metal bat and then followed it up with six more home runs later in the summer with the wood bat in Staten Island - and it could have been seven had an umpire not called one foul that many felt was clearly fair.

While people can't help but notice his impeccable plate discipline and ability to hit for power and average, what makes Maruszak stand out it his plus arm strength.

Even though scouts aren't in total agreement that his foot-speed will be enough to keep him at shortstop as he progresses through the minor leagues, all of them concur that his big-time arm gives him multiple defensive options.

"I would have to say one of my strengths is my arm, obviously," he opined. "That can get me out of a bind if I do take a different route to a ball, or if I'm coming in and my momentum is carrying me a different way, my arm gets me out of a lot of situations."

The other aspects of his game that lead many to believe the 17th round pick is already one of the better prospects in the organization are his intangibles and workman-like approach to the game.

"If I were to compare myself to anybody I would pick different people," said Maruszak. "I think Kevin Youkilis works hard and plays the game hard. I would compare how I play to him.

"I'm always trying to dive to get to every ball and be the blue-collar type of player that's going to come to the park and work everyday. To me it seems Kevin Youkilis is that kind of guy that does that. I also kind of have the hitting approach of Tino."

Maruszak, who also says he has an Albert Pujols-like disdain for striking out, has already shown in the early going a propensity for making the necessary adjustments and that could be the key ingredient for future success.

"Whenever you do well and get the positive feeling out of doing good, you've always got to remember your failures," said the right-handed hitter. "You hear all the time this game is about failing and you can learn a lot from your failures. That's what I learned this season.

"I struggled sometimes this season, sometimes for a week straight, and I would try and figure a way out of it. I would call Tino or I would call my adviser, Reggie Jefferson, because he played in the bigs too. They would tell me the same thing about when I was struggling.

"That's one thing I took out of this season and why I feel so strongly about next season, when I fail I know how to turn it around. I just can't wait."

Year

Team

AVG

AB

2B

HR

RBI

R

SB

BB

SO

OBP

SLG

2008

Staten Island

.317

167

9

6

25

30

5

14

25

.372

.503

Batting and Power. The foundation of Maruszak's offensive success is his big league plate discipline. He has an acute knowledge of the strike zone and even though he has just begun his professional career he already knows how to take what the pitchers are giving him. He doesn't try to do too much at the plate and he is already adept at hitting the ball to all fields. Maruszak also gets good backspin with his swing and with good power. Throw in the fact he can make quick adjustments, he has the look of a potential .300 hitter, one who should sport some above average on-base percentages along the way.

Base Running and Speed. Maruszak is a big-time hustler in the field and he is an intelligent base runner, and that allows him to hide the fact he doesn't have great speed or the best first step. He doesn't have prototypical middle infield speed and he will be a below average base stealer should he remain there, but he could become an above average runner should he shift positions down the road.

Defense. His less than stellar first step and lackluster speed does hamper his range at shortstop, but he is able to overcome those shortcomings by positioning himself well, with his baseball smarts, and one of the strongest infield arms in the game. The entire package projects him to be an average shortstop at best, but his big-time arm does offer him and the Yankees a few intriguing options at other positions should he play himself off of the shortstop position down the road. There has been talk about possibly moving him either to third base or more likely to catcher, but the plan is to keep him at shortstop for now.

Projection. Maruszak's immediate projection is a bit harder with the whispers of doubt surrounding his ability to remain at shortstop. His big league plate discipline, blue-collar approach, ability to make adjustments, solid power and bat control has some believing his ceiling is as a J.J. Hardy type with perhaps a little less power someday. His more realistic and more immediate projection, however, is that of a Kyle Anson type. Like Anson, Maruszak's superb throwing arm and big league plate discipline makes him a strong candidate to reach the big leagues, although Maruszak's better power potential gives him a little more position flexibility. His offensive potential is enough to possibly become a full-time big league player, but he projects best as a utility player right now until his future position becomes a bit clearer.

ETA. 2011. While Maruszak's long-term position is somewhat up in the air, his immediate one is not. His game is developed enough right now to skip the low-A level and open up the 2009 season in the Florida State League as the starting shortstop with the Tampa Yankees. As long as he's not transitioned to catcher at some point, he could move a bit quickly through the minor leagues.

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\r\n \r\n\r\nVital Statistics:\r\nName: Addison Maruszak\r\nPosition: Shortstop\r\nDOB: December 21, 1986\r\nHeight: 6'1\"\r\nWeight: 195\r\nBats: Right\r\nThrows: Right\r\n\r\n\"I had good success in Staten Island, especially for my first time as a professional and with wood bats,\" said Maruszak, who hit .317 with six home runs in his debut season.\r\n\r\n\"I adjusted pretty well going from metal to wood and I actually like it much better with the wood bat, it's more of a true bat I think. The only thing I'm looking for, the thing I want to focus on is seeing the ball.\"\r\n\r\nSeeing the ball hasn't been a problem for him even before he was drafted. He had sixteen more walks than strikeouts in his college career and his combination of plate discipline and knowledge of the strike zone were just some of the reasons Yankees scouting director Damon Oppenheimer labeled him a potential sleeper even before the season began.\r\n\r\n\"The kid [Addison] Maruszak has got some plate discipline, he's got a big-time strong arm, he swings the bat, and the way this guy throws, you might be talking about this guy being something like [Kyle] Anson, somebody like that,\" Oppenheimer said on draft day. \"I think there's something there to maybe keep people's eyes on him.\"\r\n\r\nOther reasons why many felt the later round draft pick could surprise some folks were his attention to detail and his early preparation for the professional ranks playing under the guide of former Yankee Tino Martinez in college.\r\n\r\n\"Tino is just a great all-around coach,\" said Maruszak. \"He obviously knows the right swings and stuff but he doesn't force upon you his methods.\r\n\r\n\"He knows his swing worked for him and his swing might not work for other people, but he still has that eye and there are certain basic mechanics that everybody has to do. He really pressures those but he lets you stay yourself in the other ways that make you successful.\"\r\n\r\nOne of the ways Martinez prepared his players for the professional game was, despite having to play with aluminum bats during the collegiate games, he had his players get accustomed to wood bats behind the scenes.\r\n\r\n\"In college when I hit in batting practice I wasn't allowed to use metal bats, I was only allowed to use wood bats,\" Maruszak revealed. \"My coaches always said my wood bat-swing was better.\r\n\r\n\"I didn't understand it [then]. When I had wood in my hands they said my swing was different. I guess they're right. It's not like a metal bat where it's real light and it goes through the zone quick, it's weighted. I found the right bat for me and it worked out well.\"\r\n\r\nHe hit six home runs in his final year of college earlier this year with the metal bat and then followed it up with six more home runs later in the summer with the wood bat in Staten Island - and it could have been seven had an umpire not called one foul that many felt was clearly fair.\r\n\r\nWhile people can't help but notice his impeccable plate discipline and ability to hit for power and average, what makes Maruszak stand out it his plus arm strength.\r\n\r\nEven though scouts aren't in total agreement that his foot-speed will be enough to keep him at shortstop as he progresses through the minor leagues, all of them concur that his big-time arm gives him multiple defensive options.\r\n\r\n\"I would have to say one of my strengths is my arm, obviously,\" he opined. \"That can get me out of a bind if I do take a different route to a ball, or if I'm coming in and my momentum is carrying me a different way, my arm gets me out of a lot of situations.\"\r\n\r\nThe other aspects of his game that lead many to believe the 17th round pick is already one of the better prospects in the organization are his intangibles and workman-like approach to the game.\r\n\r\n\"If I were to compare myself to anybody I would pick different people,\" said Maruszak. \"I think Kevin Youkilis works hard and plays the game hard. I would compare how I play to him.\r\n\r\n\"I'm always trying to dive to get to every ball and be the blue-collar type of player that's going to come to the park and work everyday. To me it seems Kevin Youkilis is that kind of guy that does that. I also kind of have the hitting approach of Tino.\"\r\n\r\nMaruszak, who also says he has an Albert Pujols-like disdain for striking out, has already shown in the early going a propensity for making the necessary adjustments and that could be the key ingredient for future success.\r\n\r\n\"Whenever you do well and get the positive feeling out of doing good, you've always got to remember your failures,\" said the right-handed hitter. \"You hear all the time this game is about failing and you can learn a lot from your failures. That's what I learned this season.\r\n\r\n\"I struggled sometimes this season, sometimes for a week straight, and I would try and figure a way out of it. I would call Tino or I would call my adviser, Reggie Jefferson, because he played in the bigs too. They would tell me the same thing about when I was struggling.\r\n\r\n\"That's one thing I took out of this season and why I feel so strongly about next season, when I fail I know how to turn it around. I just can't wait.\"\r\n\r\n

\r\n

\r\n

\r\n

Year

\r\n

\r\n

Team

\r\n

\r\n

AVG

\r\n

\r\n

AB

\r\n

\r\n

2B

\r\n

\r\n

HR

\r\n

\r\n

RBI

\r\n

\r\n

R

\r\n

\r\n

SB

\r\n

\r\n

BB

\r\n

\r\n

SO

\r\n

\r\n

OBP

\r\n

\r\n

SLG

\r\n

\r\n

\r\n

\r\n 2008

\r\n

\r\n Staten Island

\r\n

\r\n .317

\r\n

\r\n 167

\r\n

\r\n 9

\r\n

\r\n 6

\r\n

\r\n 25

\r\n

\r\n 30

\r\n

\r\n 5

\r\n

\r\n 14

\r\n

\r\n 25

\r\n

\r\n .372

\r\n

\r\n .503

\r\n

\r\n

\r\n\r\nBatting and Power. The foundation of Maruszak's offensive success is his big league plate discipline. He has an acute knowledge of the strike zone and even though he has just begun his professional career he already knows how to take what the pitchers are giving him. He doesn't try to do too much at the plate and he is already adept at hitting the ball to all fields. Maruszak also gets good backspin with his swing and with good power. Throw in the fact he can make quick adjustments, he has the look of a potential .300 hitter, one who should sport some above average on-base percentages along the way.\r\n\r\nBase Running and Speed. Maruszak is a big-time hustler in the field and he is an intelligent base runner, and that allows him to hide the fact he doesn't have great speed or the best first step. He doesn't have prototypical middle infield speed and he will be a below average base stealer should he remain there, but he could become an above average runner should he shift positions down the road.\r\n\r\nDefense. His less than stellar first step and lackluster speed does hamper his range at shortstop, but he is able to overcome those shortcomings by positioning himself well, with his baseball smarts, and one of the strongest infield arms in the game. The entire package projects him to be an average shortstop at best, but his big-time arm does offer him and the Yankees a few intriguing options at other positions should he play himself off of the shortstop position down the road. There has been talk about possibly moving him either to third base or more likely to catcher, but the plan is to keep him at shortstop for now.\r\n\r\nProjection. Maruszak's immediate projection is a bit harder with the whispers of doubt surrounding his ability to remain at shortstop. His big league plate discipline, blue-collar approach, ability to make adjustments, solid power and bat control has some believing his ceiling is as a J.J. Hardy type with perhaps a little less power someday. His more realistic and more immediate projection, however, is that of a Kyle Anson type. Like Anson, Maruszak's superb throwing arm and big league plate discipline makes him a strong candidate to reach the big leagues, although Maruszak's better power potential gives him a little more position flexibility. His offensive potential is enough to possibly become a full-time big league player, but he projects best as a utility player right now until his future position becomes a bit clearer.\r\n\r\nETA. 2011. While Maruszak's long-term position is somewhat up in the air, his immediate one is not. His game is developed enough right now to skip the low-A level and open up the 2009 season in the Florida State League as the starting shortstop with the Tampa Yankees. As long as he's not transitioned to catcher at some point, he could move a bit quickly through the minor leagues.\r\n\r\n

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